- Hertz is adding the Ineos Grenadier to its U.S. rental fleet.
- Renters can book the SUV at select airport sites nationwide.
- Every example is a Fieldmaster with leather and off-road kit.
Hertz is about to slip something genuinely unusual into its U.S. rental lineup. Instead of another crossover or electric sedan, the company is adding the Ineos Grenadier to its fleet. That’s right, anybody with the cash can roll up and rent out a very unique body-on-frame hardcore 4×4. The SUV will be available at select airports nationwide starting in the spring of this year.
The company has a history of allowing renters to try out niche vehicles. It famously offered sports cars, like the Shelby Mustang, the Jaguar F-Type, and the Nissan GT-R on rare occasions. Some locations offer the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, but the Ineos is decidedly more extreme. Built as a spiritual successor to the original Land Rover Defender, it features BMW-sourced engines, solid axles, and mechanical four-wheel drive.
More: Ineos Hints Its Smallest SUV Yet Could Arrive Sooner Than Expected
“At Hertz, we’re focused on offering the newest and most exciting vehicles in the industry and giving customers access to modern, high quality rental options,” said Adnan Manzur, Senior Vice President, North America Customer Operations at Hertz.
“With the addition of the Ineos Grenadier, we’re continuing to broaden customer choice and reflect travelers’ evolving preferences for unique, premium driving experiences that make the journey just as memorable as the destination.” This new offering will no doubt draw some attention from those looking for something rugged to adventure in at their destination of choice.
The benefit for Ineos itself is notable as well. Despite serious off-road chops, it hasn’t truly caught on as a brand in the way it initially hoped. The company scaled back plans for lineup growth last year. “This partnership represents an exciting step forward for our continued expansion in North America,” said Gregor Hembrough, EVP, Ineos Automotive Americas.
“Introducing the Grenadier to Hertz customers gives more drivers the opportunity to experience our vehicle’s capability and engineering firsthand. It also highlights the strong demand we’re seeing as our brand continues to grow its presence across the North America.”
All of that said, it’ll be interesting to see how customers embrace the Grenadier. Hertz caught a lot of flak in past years over damage disputes, most notably at airport locations. Mixing an overly eager AI-damage detection system and a vehicle designed for getting dirty sounds like a potential issue. That said, we can’t help but want to try out the entire experience ourselves just to see what’s what.
